FEATURED SPEAKERS & PRESENTERS

2021 NASWA VIRTUAL VETERANS CONFERENCE

Nathan D.Ainspan, Ph.D Opening the Aperture on Military Skills & Careers to Make Better Civilian Career Connections

Nathan D. Ainspan, Ph.D., is the Senior Research Psychologist with the Military-Civilian Transition Office (MCTO) at the Department of Defense. His research has focused on improving civilian employment opportunities for returning service members and the psychosocial benefits that employment

provides to wounded warriors and injured veterans. He has also authored and edited dozens of publications including the books Military Veteran Employment: A Guide for the Data Driven Leader (with Kristin Saboe, Oxford University Press, 2021); The Handbook of Psychosocial Interventions for Veterans and Service Members: A Guide for the Non-Military Mental Health Clinician (with Craig J. Bryan and Walter E. Penk, Oxford, 2016), When the Warrior Returns: Making the Transition at Home (with Walter E. Penk; Naval Institute Press 2012) and Returning Wars Wounded, Injured, and Ill: A Handbook (with Walter E. Penk; Praeger, 2008). Dr. Ainspan is a member of the American Psychological Association and a Fellow of Division 18 (Psychologists in Public Service), Division 19 (Military Psychology), and Division 14 (Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology). He is also the recipient of the Government Executive Theodore Roosevelt Defender Government Leadership Award for distinguished achievement in national security, homeland security and international affair; the Society for Military Psychology’s Charles S. Gersoni Military Psychology Award for excellence in the advancement of the profession of military psychology, outstanding work on improving effectiveness of military psychology systems, and remarkable service on behalf of the welfare of military personnel; DoD’s Spirit of Service Award for his outstanding performance and demonstrating honor, integrity, and excellence; the Psychologists in Public Service Award from the Psychologists in Public Service division for his contributions to public service of underserved populations; and the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology’s Raymond A. Katzell Award for work that addresses social issues and to positively impact individuals, organizations, and society. Dr. Ainspan received his Bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University and his Masters and Doctoral degrees from Cornell University’s School of Labor Relations.

Danielle Applegate*

Serving Military-Connected Families, Pandemic Edition

Danielle Applegate is the Director of Veteran and Military Family Engagement where she supports the deployment of the electronic health record to the DoD, the VA, and the US Coast Guard through stakeholder education and engagement. Prior to joining Cerner, she served as the Vice President of VetsFirst, and worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Center for Women Veterans, where she created and led groundbreaking women veteran

initiatives and nationwide VA programming. Ms. Applegate also founded Applegate Solutions, a successful Service-Disabled Veteran Owned, Woman Owned Small Business that provided management consulting and subject matter expertise to an array of clients including the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs, as well as private and nonprofit organizations. A

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published military and veteran community subject matter expert and advocate, she also serves on the boards of PsychArmor, Hesperus, and the National Physical Activity Alliance. A self-professed data nerd who enjoys absorbing as much information as possible, she resides in Alexandria, VA where she is currently being raised by a son and daughter who are convinced they know it all.

Tina Atherall, DSW Serving Military-Connected Families, Pandemic Edition

Dr. Tina Atherall is a social innovation strategist with a concentration in non-profit and social enterprise leadership. She is the CEO of PsychArmor and works with communities educating and advocating for critical support for those who have served and their families. She has embedded her career in the field of social work innovation and leadership and obtained her Doctor of Social Work (DSW) from the University of Southern California. Her recent

work focuses on the 12 Grand Challenges for Social Work to eradicate the public health crisis of social isolation specifically the challenges of military family. Tina has advanced certificates in nonprofit leadership, military family readiness, military social work, and is a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator. She is an Associate Adjunct Professor at Columbia University School of Social Work and University of Kentucky. She is currently a scholar with the Bush Center Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program as a Bush Fellow. Tina is dedicated to leadership, mentorship and strengthening communities. She is an active board member of the San Diego Veterans Coalition (SDVC) and the Congressional Research Institute for Social Policy (CRISP). She received the California Baptiste School of Social Work Fulfilling The Dream Award (2020), University of Southern California Suzanne-Dworak Peck School of Social Work Student Alumni Award (2018), NASW NYS Merit Service Award (2014) and NASW NYC Chapter Emerging Leader Social Work Leadership Award (2016). She is a member of the NationSwell Council leveraging cross-sector networks.

James M. Beamesderfer* Insight from Veteran Friendly Employers Jim Beamesderfer is vice president, Veterans Initiatives and heads the Prudential Veterans Initiatives Office. He is responsible for the company’s external and internal veterans programs, which includes supporting Diversity and Inclusion activities, implementing the communications strategy and overseeing philanthropic activity in coordination with internal business partners. In addition, he oversees the VETalent program that in partnership

with the nonprofit organization Workforce Opportunity Services, recruits, trains and hires Iraq and Afghanistan-era military veterans and military spouses. Beamesderfer has been a driving force behind the development of the company’s military spouse employment program and was recently appointed as the Co-Chair of the US Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes’ Military Spouse Employment Advisory Council. He also plays a key role in expanding the VETalent program and other Military Talent employment programs to other companies. Beamesderfer joined Prudential in 1997. Prior to his current role, he was a director, Information Systems in Prudential’s Individual Life Insurance business where he supported Prudential Advisors technology functions such as Customer Relationship Management, marketing, financial planning, and learning / professional development. Prior to joining Prudential, Beamesderfer was a captain in the U.S. Army, serving six years in Infantry units. Beamesderfer has a

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bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix. He also earned the Project Management Professional designation. Beamesderfer sits on the board of directors of the United Service Organizations (USO) of Metro NYC, the board of advisors for the Center for a New American Security and is an active member of the Rutgers Business School Military and Veteran Advisory Board. Beamesderfer was also selected as a scholar for the Bush Institute Veteran Leadership Program class of 2021.

James Bell* Promising Practices: The Pandemic is the Mother of Invention

James Bell is a Regional Director for the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. His primary role is to supervise JVSG staff and monitor the Vets program for the State. When not on the job, you can find Jim on his bicycle riding the back roads of Colorado. Jim holds a BS in Psychology from University of Maryland and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Boston University. Jim is a retired Air Force Veteran.

Ron Bender Entrepreneurship Options

Ron Bender is an experienced international Franchise Professional, dedicated

to improving people's lives through franchise ownership, and he promotes

transparency and positivity in all aspects. Ron is passionate about assisting our

veterans and is active on the International Franchise Association’s VetFran

Committee. Ron has been interviewed in many business publications, online

programs and podcasts, covering topics including Veterans in Franchising,

Franchise Ownership after 50, and How to Research and Purchase the Best Franchise for YOU. He has

presented at the annual MOAA Transition Fair in Washington DC and other military career transition

events across the US, and has presented and hosted panels at franchise industry events on Creating an

Amazing Candidate Experience, Franchising for Veterans and MilSpouses, Funding Options for Your

Franchise Purchase, Building Strong Franchisee-Franchisor Relationships, Best Practices for Candidate

Education, Understanding the Mindset of Franchise Candidates, Succeeding in Franchise Ownership as a

Married Couple (without killing each other!), and more. Ron is a Certified Franchise Executive and is

regularly recognized with Franchise Update STAR Awards. He volunteers with Franchising Gives Back,

the IFA’s Fran(mentor)Ship and Ambassador programs and the Emerging Franchisor Bootcamp, as well

as at other franchise, environmental and community events. Ron and he is currently heading the team

re-launching EnviroLogik, a 30-year-old environmentally friendly B2B service franchise based in Florida

and is helping bring Local Handyman Group, a successful handyman services concept from Canada, into

the US.

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Stephanie Brown^ Entrepreneurship Options

Stephanie Brown is a senior military spouse, wife of recently retired R. Admiral Thomas L. Brown (SEAL). She grew up as an Air Force “brat” moving around the country and overseas. Her father was a Vietnam veteran with over 20 years of active-duty service. Stephanie is a sought-after subject matter expert and speaker on entrepreneurship. She has been dedicated over 20 years to supporting and advocating on behalf of military families, and

veterans. Stephanie has been featured on national FOX News, The New York Times, Woman’s Day Magazine, U.S. Veterans Magazine, Military Families Magazine, Business Insider, CBS News, Military Spouse Magazine and more. She is a member of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Spouse Ambassador Network and has been presented the Commander’s Award for Civilian Service by the Commanding General of Special Operations Command SOUTH. The Rosie Network was founded after spending hours searching Angie’s List & craigslist for a contractor to do repair work on their home. Not comfortable having someone unknown coming into their house and preferring to hire a veteran, Stephanie set about creating a means for the American public to locate our nation’s military family-owned businesses. Many months later, Rosie’s List was born. “We are the only non-profit search tool which features verified veteran and military spouse-owned businesses, provides them with a business profile page and doesn’t charge them a dime,” says Stephanie. The Rosie Network expanded to include no cost training and mentorship through its national award-winning Service2CEO program, now offered through chapters nationwide. “Our mission is to provide business owners and budding military entrepreneurs the kind of business training and support needed to ensure the greatest opportunity for success,” Stephanie Brown.

Beth Conlin^ Insight from Veteran Friendly Employers

An Army spouse, Beth Conlin has been working to improve employment opportunities for military spouses since an overseas move in 2013 forced her to quit her job, putting both her professional development and family stability at risk. Initially, Beth started working on the unemployment crisis for military spouse alone from Germany. From educating employers, recruiting spouses, and directly placing spouses into long term careers, Beth has intimate working

knowledge of the obstacles and has developed solutions to help reduce employment challenges. Recognized as a subject matter expert she has contributed to panel discussions, authored op-eds, and been called on to support various members of Congress with military spouse initiatives. Now at Amazon, Beth is working to connect this untapped talent pool to the workforce inside Amazon as well as build strategic partnerships that will elevate the impacts this group has and ultimately end the recession our military spouses face. Outside of her work for Amazon, she is an advisor to MilitarySpouseJobs.org and the Military Officers Association of America, is the Chairwoman of the board for the newly founded Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce, and sits on several DoD and White House working groups focused on reducing employment challenges.

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Mika Cross*^ The Future is Remote: Top 10 Remote Work Career Paths and the Skills Needed

for Success

Mika J. Cross is a widely acclaimed workplace expert, speaker, strategist and innovator specializing in interdisciplinary expertise among the areas of innovative global workplace initiatives, remote and distributed work, culture change, strategic communications, knowledge management, next generation workplace and future of work predictions. Her career includes 20+ years of

public service with assignments throughout the United States Intelligence Community and across the Federal government and Mika is also a veteran of the United States Army, having served as both an enlisted soldier and commissioned officer.

Leo J. Deon* Promising Practices: Hire Vets Medallion Recognition Program – A Boost for Business

Leo Deon has extensive experience in workforce development, Veteran employment services and business outreach. His acumen and passion include Veteran advocacy, employment & training as well as business and community engagement. As the Local Veterans Employment Representative serving the Central Maine area, he provides Veteran advocacy along with business

engagement and outreach activities with employers over a diverse three-county area. He led the charge to establish a Maine Military & Community Network Regional Group in Franklin County, Maine and currently serves as the Group Chair. Leo also served our nation with the U.S. Coast Guard, retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer. During his time with the Coast Guard, in addition to his normally assigned duties, he provided inspirational leadership by mentoring service members with career development, military skills translation and transition coaching. Leo holds an Associate’s degree in technology and is pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in communications at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

Roy Dockery* Identify the Essentials: Bringing Veterans and CEOs Together to Inspire Career Exploration

Roy Dockery currently serves as the VP of Customer Care for Swisslog Healthcare North America. In this role, he oversees field service, support services, software support and operations planning for Swisslog's healthcare automation products. Roy joined Swisslog in 2010 and was permitted the opportunity to build the pharmacy automation service division from the

ground up as the director of field service operations. Roy developed a team of dedicated service professionals and created a culture of concern, accountability, responsiveness and excellence that improved customer satisfaction. Prior to joining Swisslog, Roy was in the United States Navy serving as an instructor for their nuclear power program. Before entering the military, Roy spent 4 years as a small business consultant specializing in employee training, marketing, community outreach and process development. In his free time, Roy serves as the executive director of a non-profit organization providing basic resources to impoverished communities across the nation.

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Daryle Dudzinski Opening Ceremonies Daryle Dudzinski was named Connecticut Department of Labor Deputy Commissioner by Governor Ned Lamont in January 2019. Having served as Acting Deputy Commissioner since June 2018, he began his career with the agency in 1992, starting out as a Connecticut Career Trainee. A graduate of Central Connecticut State University, Daryle holds a Bachelor of Science

degree in Accounting. His first job at DOL involved working with employers to determine annual tax rates and liability for the Unemployment Insurance program. In time, he began working in the Unemployment Insurance Benefits Division, helping the agency bring improvements and innovations to its Call Center operations, claims adjudications process, technical support activities, online services and integrity measures. Prior to being named Acting Deputy Commissioner, Daryle served as Director of Labor Operations. In that position, he oversaw the Unemployment Insurance Benefits Division, as well as the Employment, Business Services and Veterans divisions, which offer services to residents through the American Job Center network and online. He is the vice-chair of the NASWA Veterans Affairs committee, and will assume the chair later this year.

Jillian Fasser What’s New at the National Veterans Training Institute

Jillian Fasser is the Deputy Program Manager for the NVTI Program at Management Concepts. She has a background in management consulting for the federal government, and extensive experience working with veterans in her spare time while assisting various non-profit organizations. Prior to starting her career as a consultant, she was an Economist for the Bureau of Economic Analysis. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP)

with undergraduate degrees in Economics and International Relations.

Misty Stutsman Fox Entrepreneurship Resources

Misty Stutsman Fox is the Director of the Entrepreneurship and Small Business portfolio at the Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). In this role she is charged with building the Center of Excellence for Veteran Entrepreneurship as well as the Coalition for Veteran Owned Business. In addition, she oversees a broad portfolio of nearly a dozen

programs and projects that advances and promotes veteran entrepreneurship nationwide through research, resources, supply chain opportunities and tools as well as training and program development. Previously, Stutsman Fox served as the Manager of Programs and Outreach at the Riata Center for Entrepreneurship, at Oklahoma State University. During her time there, she oversaw the expansion and relaunch of the new award-winning student incubator program, served on the planning board and positioned Riata as a founding member of 36 Degrees North, an 11,000 square foot entrepreneurial space in the heart of downtown Tulsa, as well as launched many other student and community-based programs, internships, competitions, and conferences, at the local, national, and international level. She was also the consortium lead for the Veterans Entrepreneurship Program (VEP) based out of Oklahoma State University, recruiting three universities to the consortium during her tenure at the Riata Center.

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Prior to this position, she was the Marketing Manager at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has several years’ experience in service management, consulting, event planning and program/ curriculum development. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and International Business and a Master of Business Administration, both from Oklahoma State University. Additionally, she is an alum of the second cohort of President George W. Bush’s Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program.

Alfonzo Garcia* Promising Practices: Connecting the Dots: Inclusivity of all Veterans Pathway from Incarceration to the Community

Al Garcia serves as the Southern Region Supervisor for the State of Wisconsin, Department of Workforce Development Employment & Training Division's Office of Veterans Employment Services. He oversees a team of Disabled Veteran Outreach Program Specialists and Local Veteran Employment Representatives for the case management, day-to-day operations, training,

and planning of services to veterans with significant barriers to employment. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry Riddle University and an MBA with an emphasis on Manpower Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School. He has been employed with the OVES team for eight years serving in various capacity. He is a retired mustang Naval Officer with 23 years of service in Cryptology, Aviation, and Human Resources.

Patrick Groome* Insight from Veteran Friendly Employers

Patrick Groome is the Recruiting Manager for the Military & Veteran Recruiting team. In his current role, Patrick supports the JP Morgan Chase firm wide effort to expand the diverse military, veteran and spouse talent pipeline for all five lines of business. Patrick also Co-Chairs the Phoenix VETS (Voices for Employees that Served) Business Resource Group. Prior to joining JPMorgan Chase, Patrick was in the Army for 26 years. During this time, he

spent six years as an Airborne Infantryman, then 20 years in the Army’s Recruiting Command where he served in many roles. Patrick’s awards and decorations include the Combat Infantry Badge, 3 Meritorious Service Medals, 6 Army Commendation Medals, and Overseas Service Ribbon. Patrick is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and now resides in Surprise, Arizona with his wife Gina, 2 daughters, April and Brittany, and 2 grandsons, Ethan and Jaedyn.

Clayton Gumber, PhD The Employment, Earnings and Occupations of Post 9/11 Veterans

Clayton Gumber is a survey statistician in the Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division of the U.S. Census Bureau. His research describes workers’ employment characteristics, primarily focusing on their industry and occupation.

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Isabella C. Guzman Welcome from the SBA

Isabella Casillas Guzman was sworn in as the 27th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration on March 17, 2021. She serves as the voice for America’s 30 million small businesses and innovative startups in President Biden’s Cabinet. Administrator Guzman grew up in a small business family and has been an entrepreneur herself. She has spent her entire career

advising entrepreneurs, launching ventures, helping small businesses navigate government, and creating policies and programs to help advance entrepreneurship and innovation. Most recently, she served as the Director of the California Office of the Small Business Advocate where she helped small businesses and innovative startups in the world’s fifth largest economy start, expand and grow. She advocated fiercely for financial relief for small businesses and focused on expanding assistance to entrepreneurs in underserved communities. In addition, she served as the economic recovery support function coordinator for the state, where she spearheaded the small business recovery effort during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dan Hawthorne, PhD* The Future is Remote: Top 10 Remote Work Career Paths and the Skills Needed for Success; and Job Vulnerability, Gateway Jobs and Decision Process Management: Guiding Veterans and Transitioning Service Members to Better Career Decisions

Dan Hawthorne enlisted in the US Army right out of high school at age 17 and served for three years in the US Chemical Corps as an NBC Specialist. He has also continued to work in veterans’ interests and transitioning service

members by serving as a part of the American Legion’s Employment Innovation Task Force to the National Veterans Employment & Education Division. Dan graduated from The University of Missouri - Saint Louis (UMSL) with Bachelor’s degrees in English Literature and Psychology, a Master’s degree in Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. He has extensive experience with numerous Fortune 500 consulting clients and has worked in several roles from an individual contributor in projects like a Big Data initiative for State Farm Insurance and a senior leader in the deployment of a Big-5 personality measure for Educational Testing Service (ETS) and a significant project developing new Adult Education and Literacy standards for the Texas Workforce Commission. He weaves together his experience as a client-facing consultant with his background as an organizational research scientist to uncover powerful data results. He currently serves PAIRIN in his role as Director of IO Psychology by being the psychometric technical expert on PAIRIN’s products and tools. He also is the primary investigator on all research projects and drives PAIRIN’s research agenda.

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Rebekah Haydin*

Listening Session with USDOL Vets Leadership

Rebekah Haydin is the national Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) Program Lead for the U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS). The JVSG provides funding to states for approximately 1,600 Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP), Local Veterans Employment Representative (LVER), and consolidated DVOP/LVER positions across the country. Through these staff, JVSG works with employers on behalf of

veterans, networks with local veteran service organizations, and provides individualized career services to over 65,000 veterans per year. Rebekah is a veteran of the U.S. Army and a graduate of the University of Colorado at Denver through the VR&E program. She has been with VETS since 2005.

Meg Hendricks*^ Entrepreneurship Resources For more than 12 years, Meg Hendricks has been honing her skills as a Human Resources professional. She launched her career serving as a Human Resources Officer in the U.S. Army. In 2012, she transitioned to the corporate sector and has had the pleasure of partnering with organizations in the manufacturing, financial services, and human capital management space. Over the last six years, Meg has focused her expertise in Diversity & Inclusion

and in Military recruitment and retention. This experience has included contributing to First Data and then Fiserv being ranked in the top five for the past four years on the Military Times Best for Vets list. Meg is currently a Senior Director and Head of Military & Veteran Affairs on Fiserv’s Corporate Citizenship team. Meg holds a master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Northcentral University, a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from The Colorado College, and the Professional Human Resources (PHR) certification. Meg has a strong commitment to civic duty. As such, she was an active member of the Junior Woman’s Club of Williamsburg (JWCW) from 2014-2020, volunteers regularly at a local foodbank, with The Mission Continues, and participates in additional local volunteer opportunities. Meg is married to a fellow Army Veteran, with whom she has one daughter.

Dan Hopkins USDOL VETS Veterans Challenge: What’s next for eightfold.ai, the winner of the 2020 U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans Challenge?; Insight from Veteran Friendly Employers

Dan Hopkins is VP of Applied AI at Eightfold. Dan is responsible for helping government leverage Artificial Intelligence to unlock better employment outcomes. Prior to his role at Eightfold, Dan was VP of innovation at Apttus, where he was responsible in developing Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain

solutions. His past management experience also includes a deployment to London where he oversaw the sales engineering team for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Dan has also provided technology consulting and advisement for past US presidential campaigns, members of congress, and government agencies. Dan has an undergraduate degree in political science, a master’s degree in information systems technology and is completing an MBA from Columbia University. He lives in Washington, DC.

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Robin Johnson*^ Honoring Women in Service; Virtual Networking Event Inspired by her grandmother’s service, Robin Johnson served in the Army from 1994-2020. Her career highlights include Commander, 526th Brigade Support Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Strategic Advisor to the Secretary of the Army, Special Assistant to the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Employment Director for the Soldier For Life program. Robin’s awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service

Medal, Bronze Star Medals, and the Airborne, Air Assault, and Pathfinder badges. She deployed five times to Afghanistan and Iraq in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Inherent Resolve. After retiring from the Army, Robin joined the Military Women’s Memorial team in April 2020. When not working, she is passionate about advocating for the military community, championing women veteran initiatives, and performing stand-up comedy (as Robin Phoenix). She is a member of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor and Armed Services Arts Partnership where she practically applies the use of humor to enhance the performance of people, organizations, and communities.

Tim Johnston Linking Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities to Registered Apprenticeship

Tim Johnston is the Supervisor for Employment Services for VA’s Veteran Readiness and Employment Service in Central Office where he has been in this position for the last two years. Previously, he served in central office as the Supervisor of Rehabilitation Services since November of 2015. He came to

VR&E Service after serving for 16 years in VR&E management as both the VR&E Officer and the Assistant Officer for the Los Angeles Regional Office. Prior to VR&E management, he served as both a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and a Rehabilitation Specialist in the Los Angeles RO starting his VA career in 1995.

Kristina Kaufmann^ Case Management SOP for DVOPs

Kristina Kaufmann is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of the Code of Support Foundation (COSF). During her 11 years as a wartime Army wife, Kristy experienced first-hand the numerous barriers between those who serve and the resources designed to support them and their families. Kristy co-founded Code of Support with Vietnam veteran General Alan Salisbury to remove these barriers and make good on our promise as a nation to honor

and care for those who have served our country. Now in its 10th year, the Code of Support Foundation provides direct Case Management to hundreds of military and veteran families each year, and through PATRIOTlink® connects tens of thousands more service men and women, veterans, caregivers, and their families to the resources and support they have earned through their service and sacrifice. Kristy is known for her commitment to military families, with a vision to elevate and provide support to the military and veteran caregivers who serve alongside their service-members and veterans. Kristy speaks

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extensively on the impacts of war on the mental health of military families; effective strategies to reach and serve veterans at the highest risk, including their families; and leveraging technology solutions to eliminate barriers between veterans and the critical support they need. Kristy’s publications include the Washington Post, New York Times, NPR, CNN, and HuffPost. She is a Presidio Institute Fellow, SAMHSA’s 2017 Consumer/Peer/Family Leadership Award winner, and a graduate of the University of California Berkeley.

Matt Kellam* Insight from Veteran Friendly Employers Matt Kellam is the Military and Recruitment Program Coordinator for Dominion Energy. With over 20 years of staffing and workforce development experience, Matt has lead teams specializing in technical staffing, military and veteran recruitment, college and university relations, student employment and scholarship programs, building partnerships with community and civic

organizations, and more. In collaboration with education, industry and government partners, Matt and his teams are responsible for establishing military and veteran, education and training, and career pathways leading into the Energy industry. Throughout his career, Matt has been recognized and awarded for his workforce and talent pipeline development efforts and for his commitment to diversity and inclusion. He is a member of several of organizations and councils and holds leadership roles with a few of these groups. These groups and roles include the Commonwealth of Virginia’s STEM Education Commission, Commonwealth of Virginia’s Build Virginia Advisory Board, Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s Military & Veterans Affairs Executive Committee, Center for Energy Workforce Development, Virginia Energy Workforce Consortium (chairperson), and Dominion Energy Veterans Resource Group (advisor). Matt served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves for 6 years. He attended Virginia Commonwealth University and studied Mass Communications – Public Relations. Matt and his wife have two daughters and they reside in Richmond, VA.

Becky Kikkert Promising Practices: Connecting the Dots: Inclusivity of all Veterans Pathway from Incarceration to the Community Becky Kikkert is the Director for the Office of Special Initiatives with the Division of Employment and Training at the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. As a proven government affairs leader, she is focused on compliance with deep experience in navigating fast-paced,

challenging environments with innovation. She builds strong partnerships with legislative, business, education, and regulatory bodies, to enable a quick response to changing and evolving situation. She holds Bachelor's in Science in Political Science and History from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in addition to a Master's Degree in Facilitation and Project Management from the University of Wisconsin Madison. Becky is responsible for planning and implementation of sector centers in key areas of the state of Wisconsin, which will bring together Industry, Education and Workforce components to meet with regional Labor market need in fast growing sectors. Focus on serving job seekers, employers, veterans, and communities to attract talent to meet the needs of success for the state. Oversee the planning and development of policies and procedures to implement Statewide workforce initiatives, coordinated re-entry and youth services, working closely with local Job Centers, other state agencies,

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department and division management and other stakeholders. Additional responsibilities include policy research, analysis, evaluation; development of policies and procedures; executing program grants, program monitoring, evaluation and compliance; resource issues and best practices; establishment of effective partnerships with stakeholders and other interested parties; and supervision of staff, fiscal planning and budget management. She has worked at the Department of Workforce Development since 2012.

Stan Kurtz* Sharing the Entrepreneurship Journey Stan Kurtz is a retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer with 23 years of service. He currently serves as the Director of Policy and Engagement for the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Veterans Business Development. Prior to his current post he was the Director of the Veteran Business Outreach Center Program. Prior to SBA, Stan was the Director of Veterans Employment

Services for Texas Veterans Commission in Austin, Texas. Previous positions include Operations Manager for the Texas Veteran Commission and Assistant State Veterans Employment Coordinator for the State of Florida. Stan holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland University College.

Pamela Langley*^ Transition Assistance – Improving the Experience

Pamela Langley currently serves as the U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) Operations Lead, Transition Assistance Program, Office of National Programs. She began her tenure with VETS in 1995 as the Veterans Programs Assistant in Idaho. She has filled the positions of Assistant Director and State Director for VETS in Idaho. Between 2003 and 2013, Pamela served as the Grant Programs Division Chief

responsible for all nationwide grant programs for veterans administered by VETS and as the Contracting Officer’s Representative for the National Veterans Training Institute (NVTI) contract. Ms. Langley served on active duty in the United States Navy from 1983 to 1994, when she transitioned into the Idaho Army National Guard. In 2000, Ms. Langley transferred into the Army Reserve. She deployed twice; to Kuwait and Iraq in 2006/2007 and to Afghanistan in 2011/2012 as the First Sergeant for Task Force Medical East. She retired from the Army Reserve in April 2016 with over 33 years of total military service. Pamela Langley is married to Brian and they have three adult children and two grandchildren.

Evan Littrell* Protecting the Integrity of Your Personal Information Evan Littrell is the Director of State Engagement for the Unemployment Insurance Integrity Center at the National Association of State Workforce Agencies. He is currently serving in the Nebraska Air National Guard as a Logistics Readiness Officer.

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Lynn Lowder* Entrepreneurship Options

A leader with in-depth experience in business, law and the military, Lynn Lowder is the co-founder and CEO of nonprofit Veteran Business Project (VBP), which energizes and sustains veteran and military spouse entrepreneurship. Among its services, VBP offers a unique “vharmony” matchmaking process, connecting veterans/military spouses seeking to acquire established businesses with business owners wanting to divest. Lynn is an appointee to the

U.S. Small Business Administration’s Advisory Committee on Veterans Business Affairs (ACVBA). Along with being a former trial attorney, Lynn has held various business leadership positions, to include: General Counsel – Mail Boxes Etc., COO – Colt Firearms, Trustee – Marine Military Academy, Director of Veteran Services – UCM and President – “360 Degree Success.” A Marine infantry officer, he served as a team leader with 1st Force Reconnaissance Company (Special Operations) in South Vietnam where he was awarded the Silver Star Medal for valor, the Bronze Star Medal with combat “v” and the Purple Heart for wounds received in action. His combat and business experiences have been profiled in several books. Lynn is an author, keynote speaker, mentor, and board member with for-profit/non-profit organizations.

Jim McDonough* Serving Military-Connected Communities, Pandemic Edition

Colonel (U.S. Army, Retired) James (Jim) D. McDonough, Jr., is the Executive Director of Headstrong, a leading mental health treatment practice for military connected individuals and their families. Prior to serving as Executive Director, Jim served in a number of key leadership assignments in the veterans’ sector, including two stints as Director of the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services, Senior Fellow for Veterans Affairs within the

New York State Health Foundation and Managing Director of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University, where he was responsible for the global deployment of the Institute’s widely recognized programs and services. Jim also served as Chief Executive Officer for Veterans Outreach Center in Rochester, New York, where he led the nation’s oldest continuing serving nonprofit dedicated to the needs of military connected individuals and families. Jim is pursuing his Ph.D. in law and policy from Northeastern University with an anticipated completion date of June, 2022.

Jack McKenna* Promising Practices: Virtual Walk-In Clinics Jack McKenna, a retired United States Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel began his Army Career as a Private and served in all Army Components, Active, Guard and Reserves. Overseas tours of Duty include Bosnia, Operation Iraqi Freedom and culminating as Area of Operations Chief, Training and Exercises, US Army Central. After retirement Jack began working for the

Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a Veterans Employment Representative. In recognition of outstanding service to Veterans by the Disabled American Veterans Department of Massachusetts Jack was recognized as the State DVOP of the year 2016-2017. A proud Solider for Life, now a Proud Army Dad to his recently commissioned 2nd Lieutenant Son.

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Steven McLane* Promising Practices: Incarcerated Veterans Workshop

Steven McLane has nearly three years with the Jobs for Veterans State Grant (JVSG) and is a Veteran Career Advisor within the State of Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Prior to joining Michigan’s JVSG Program, he served as a Programs Director for the Michigan Department of Corrections. Mr. McLane spent almost 19 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections and during his tenure held roles of Corrections

officer, Resident Unit Officer, Acting Assistant Resident Unit Supervisor, Parole Agent and Probation Agent. While working with the Michigan Department of Corrections Mr. McLane managed the largest substance abuse grant in the prison system and helped pilot collaborative case management along with several other programs that have helped The Michigan Department of Corrections be one of the most successful Departments in the nation. Mr. McLane has also helped in the implementation and delivery of the Veteran Employment Services prison in reach directive. Steven served 20 plus years in the United States Army and Michigan National Guard from which he retired in 2018 and is a service-connected disabled veteran. He has been awarded and recognized for his service in support of operations OIF, OND and OEF. After leaving active duty, Mr. McLane went on to graduate from Lansing Community College and Davenport University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and 2 associate degrees in criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement general. In 2020 he and his wife Miranda celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary. Steven has three children Madison 20, Caiden 17, and Graham 13. Steven’s hobbies include hunting and outdoor activities, as well as being an avid University of Michigan sports enthusiast.

Tom McMahon* Sharing the Entrepreneurship Journey Tom McMahon is the owner of the boutique gift shop, Urban Dwell, located in Washington, D.C. Urban Dwell is in its 6th year of business and offers unique and fun gifs following the latest trends in home décor, women and men’s accessories, baby gifts, books and stationery and much more. After 22 years of active duty service, Tom retired from the Air Force in 2014 as an

Intelligence Officer in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He resides in Mclean, VA with his wife Katie and two daughters, Keegan and Finely.

Sarah McMullen Insight from Veteran Friendly Employers

Sarah McMullen is the Talent Acquisition Military Program Manager for CVS

Health where she oversees and supports initiatives to hire veterans, military

spouses, and active members of the National Guard and Reserve throughout

the enterprise. Sarah has spent her professional career consulting and

creating programs for Fortune 100 companies on talent attraction, hiring,

inclusion, and retention for individuals and veterans with disabilities. Her

expertise lies in creating effective and inclusive candidate experiences, cultures, and understanding the

impacts of unconscious bias on hiring goals. Sarah believes the underemployment and unemployment of

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veterans and military spouses is still a largely needed focus area within organizations and is passionate

about her mission to lead this priority within CVS Health and improve the military to civilian career

transition process. Sarah resides in Maryland with her husband and two-year-old daughter.

Nuno Medeiros* Linking Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities to Registered

Apprenticeship

Nuno Medeiros is currently the Director of Research and Policy for Veterans' Employment and Training (VETS). He also served as a Special Assistant, the Deputy Regional Administrator for Boston, and the Rhode Island State Director for VETS. Before these positions, he worked for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In his seven-year career with the VA, Mr. Medeiros

held several leadership positions in Quality Assurance, Special Operations, and Training. Mr. Medeiros is also a veteran and served in the United States Army for six years, deploying to Kuwait and Afghanistan as a combat engineer. Mr. Medeiros has devoted his career to serving our country and our veterans.

Gary Meyer* Promising Practices: Connecting the Dots: Inclusivity of all Veterans Pathway from Incarceration to the Community

Gary M Meyer is the Director of the State of Wisconsin, Department of Workforce Development Employment and Training Division's Office of Veterans Services. He leads a team of 34 professional staff stationed in Job Center Offices throughout Wisconsin. His team promotes veterans as a valuable resource to Wisconsin's workforce. His team also provides the

intensive service necessary to assist veterans that face barriers while transitioning from military service. He provides overall direction and vision for the program and administers a 2.9 million-dollar Veterans State Grant Program. In addition, he serves on the National Association of State Workforce Agency Veterans Affairs Committee that guides program initiatives throughout the country. He has a Bachelor's degree in both Communication and Management with and emphasis in strategic planning, quality improvement and organizational behavior. He successfully completed the State of Wisconsin's Enterprise Management Academy before he was named Director. He's worked within veteran employment and training field for 33 years. He is a US Air Force Veteran and a life member of the DAV. He's served as a DAV State Commander, a Department Adjutant and now serves as the DAV's Department Employment Chairman.

Travis Mills* Keynote Speaker

A “Recalibrated Warrior,” motivational speaker, and international advocate for veterans and amputees, Travis Mills also started the Travis Mills Foundation, which benefits and assists wounded and injured veterans. His larger-than-life personality, sense of humor and incredible spirit for life engages audiences from the moment he takes center stage. On April 10, 2012, Staff Sergeant Mills was critically injured on his third tour of duty in

Afghanistan by an IED (improvised explosive device) while on patrol, losing portions of both legs and

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both arms. Thanks to his amazing strength, courage, an incredible will to live, the heroic actions of the men in his unit, the prayers of thousands, and all the healthcare providers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, he continues to overcome the obstacles of living life as a quadruple amputee. Staff Sergeant Mills’ story inspired the creation of the documentary “Travis: A Soldier’s Story,” which played in theaters nationwide and has been featured on local and national news. His story is being adapted into a major motion picture directed by Sylvester Stallone and starring Stallone and Adam Driver. His book, “Tough as They Come,” is also a New York Times bestseller.

Sam Mitchell* Master of Ceremonies

Since May 2019, Sam Mitchell has been Washington State Employment Security Department’s Administrator for Military Base Support. He develops policy and strategies for serving veterans and military families. Sam also oversees operation of WorkSource Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the state’s only inside-the-gate job center. Previously, he served as the State Veterans Program Coordinator and Operator (2013-2019) and as a DVOP (2010-2013),

and currently chairs of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) Veterans Affairs Committee. Prior to his employment with Washington State, Sam was Human Resources for Red Lion Hotel Kelso for nearly three years, where he oversaw all recruitment, hiring, compliance and training programs for 80 employees. Sam retired at the rank of Chief Master Sergeant, after 25 years, from the Air Force in 2007 where he spent tours in the Pacific, Europe, Middle East, and the US. His military career culminated in his selection and service as the Regional Functional Manager for 1,500 communications and information technology specialists across Europe. A native of Kelso, Washington, Sam graduated Kelso High School in 1982; he earned a Masters of Public Administration degree from Evergreen State College. He has three daughters, Dianne, Amber, and Cathy.

Emma Northcott Connecting Veteran Talent With Opportunity

Emma Northcott is a Program Manager at NASWA working on the National Labor Exchange (NLx) and the Workforce Information Technology Support Center (Workforce ITSC). In this role, she analyzes data, oversees projects connected to the NLx Research Hub, evaluates program effectiveness, and manages strategic messaging for the NLx and Workforce ITSC. Prior to joining NASWA, Emma conducted research and helped administer two initiatives

through the Women and Girls Foundation: GirlGov, a civic engagement program for high school girls in Greater Pittsburgh, and the Pennsylvania Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces. Emma holds a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College. She received her bachelor’s degree in Politics & International Affairs from Wake Forest University.

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Jessie Oettinger Linking Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities to Registered Apprenticeship

Jessie Oettinger is a Senior Associate and an Associate Division Director at Social Policy Research Associates. From large USDOL research and technical assistance initiatives to smaller capacity building assistance to local workforce boards, Jessie is a champion of innovative workforce, creative and functional partnerships, and “making it work.” On behalf of the ODEP LEAD Center and

working with wonderful staff from USDOL VETS, OA, ODEP and the Veterans Benefits Administration, Jessie led the development of the Connecting VR&E and Registered Apprenticeship pilot trainings.

Meghan Ogilvie Entrepreneurship Resources

Meghan Ogilvie is Chief Executive Officer of Dog Tag Inc (DTI), a 501c3 that empowers service-disabled veterans, military spouses, and caregivers through an innovative five-month fellowship program. Hired as DTI's first employee in 2012, Meghan partnered with DTI's co-founders to bring their shared vision to life: to create a place that equips transitioning veterans and military families

with knowledge, skills, and confidence to pursue their career goals, post service. Meghan assumed the role of CEO in 2015 and oversees all aspects of DTI's unique, multi-faceted social enterprise including: managing the Fellowship program, growing Dog Tag Bakery, and guiding the development and implementation of DTI's long-term strategic vision. Prior to joining Dog Tag, Meghan spent several years working in finance in New York; first in equities with Lehman Brothers and Barclays and later within executive management at Macquarie Group. Meghan comes from a military family, with both her father and sister graduating from the Naval Academy and serving in the United States Marine Corps. Meghan is a 2017 Presidential Leadership Scholar and a recipient of the U.S. Army's Outstanding Civilian Service Award.

Marjorie Pennington^ Case Management SOP for DVOPs

Marjorie Pennington leads Code of Support Foundation’s Case Coordination program, which works one-on-one with service members, veterans, families, and caregivers to connect them to the services and support that they need and deserve. Marjorie is the wife of a Combat Veteran who was severely injured on his third deployment on April 29, 2006, by an IED blast that left her husband with an amputation, limb salvage, PTSD and TBI. Marjorie has

roughly eight years of experience in the Veteran 501c3 community serving as a Co-Director of a specialized work at home program that employed severely injured veterans and their caregivers. Her knowledge of resources, call center operations, management and a genuine love for those under her she fostered an environment where veterans and caregivers could grow and learn while they endured the treatments and appointments necessary for them to achieve their new normal as they recover from the wounds of war. Marjorie had the opportunity to further her education in the non-profit sector, Marjorie attended the University of Notre Dame online to earn her certifications in Transformational

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Nonprofit Leadership and Management. She has also completed a course through the Military Child Education Coalition on Serving Veterans' Children Through Transitions. Marjorie has completed suicide prevention and awareness training and volunteers with a local Non-profit in Maine The JD Foundation which educates on the seriousness of suicide prevention and awareness, and anti-bullying. Marjorie is a Peer Mentor for Caregivers through the Military and Veteran Caregiver Network, and an Elizabeth Dole Fellow Alumni. While Marjorie is busy with volunteering, continuing her education and caring for her veteran, she enjoys cooking, traveling and spending time with her pets.

Alexa Petty^

Serving the Whole Veteran Through Resource Coordination

Alexa Petty is a native Houstonian, proud Texan, and military spouse. After graduating from Texas A&M University, she worked in Austin, Texas at the state capitol. During her time at the capitol, she served as a legislative and press assistant to a member of the Texas House of Representatives. She focused mostly on mental health and public education policy. Today, she serves as the North Texas Regional Manager of Combined Arms. Every day she

works to convene best-in-class organizations to ensure our military community is receiving the resources they need. As part of the Texas Veterans Network team, Alexa is part of making Texas the first interconnected state for veteran resources. Through her various roles, one common thread is Alexa’s passion for positively impacting and serving her community.

Shannon Huffman Polson* Keynote Speaker

An adventurous young woman, Shannon Huffman Polson summited Mount McKinley (now Denali) and, at the time, was the youngest woman to complete the attempt. From there, she was commissioned in the Army and was one of the first women to fly the Apache attack helicopter. Through her leadership and aviation skills, she earned the right to lead two flight platoons, and was the first woman to command an Apache flight company in the 2d Infantry

Division. After nearly a decade as an Army officer and attack aviation leader, and later as a leader and manager in the corporate sector at Guidant and Microsoft, Shannon turned her attention to storytelling, in part through her Grit Project blog and in her new book. In The Grit Factor: Courage, Resilience and Leadership in the most Male Dominated Industry in the World (2020), Shannon shares her own critical leadership lessons along with candid stories of remarkable female leaders and trailblazers. Drawing on a distinguished military and corporate career, she reveals her lessons learned and leadership strategies to help you harness your own inner strength, move beyond resistance, and attain your goals. With an emphasis on grit – which she describes as “a dogged determination in the face of difficult circumstances” – she demonstrates how to tap into that passion and resolve so you can face your limitations, own your sense of purpose, and become a leader of greatness.

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Benjamin Pring Keynote Speaker

Ben Pring is the head of thought leadership at Cognizant, co-founded and leads Cognizant’s Center for the Future of Work, and is a member of Cognizant’s Executive Leadership Team. Ben is a co-author of the best-selling and award-winning books, What To Do When Machines Do Everything (2017) and Code Halos; How the Digital Lives of People, Things, and Organizations are Changing the Rules of Business (2014). His latest book, Monster: Taming the

Machines that Rules our Lives, Jobs, and Future will be out in March 2021. In 2018 Ben was a Bilderberg Meeting participant. Ben sat on the advisory board of the Labor and Work Life program at Harvard Law School between 2017 and 2020. Ben was named as one of 30 management thinkers to watch in 2020 by Thinkers 50. He was recently named a leading influencer on the future of work by Onalytica. Ben joined Cognizant in 2011, from Gartner, where he spent 15 years researching and advising on areas such as Cloud Computing and Global Sourcing. In 2007, Ben won Gartner’s prestigious Thought Leader Award. Prior to Gartner Ben worked for a number of consulting companies including Coopers and Lybrand. Ben’s expertise in helping clients see around corners, think the unthinkable, and calculate the compound annual growth rate of unintended consequences has made him an internationally recognized expert on leading edge technology and its intersection with business and society. His work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the London Times, BBC’s News Night, PBS’s News Hour, NPR’s On Point, the Drucker Forum Report, Business Insider, Forbes, Fortune, The Sun, the MIT Review, the Daily Telegraph, the Daily Mail, Parade, the Times of India, Quartz, Inc., Axios, the Australian, and the Economic Times. Based near Boston since 2000, Ben graduated with a degree in Philosophy from Manchester University in the UK where he grew up.

Chris Rawlings* Sharing the Entrepreneurship Journey Chris Rawlings is the Founder and Chief Energy Officer of VLED, an Energy and Environmental Management company headquartered in Richmond, VA. After 5 years active duty as a U.S Marine (SGT), two combat deployments to Iraq, and 10 years in aviation, Chris made the transition to energy & entrepreneurship after attending Florida State Universities Entrepreneurship

Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities in 2014. Chris is the host of the Energy Sense Podcast, a Certified Energy Manager with the Association of Energy Engineers, a LEED Green Associate with the U.S Green Building Council, and sits on numerous ESG / EH&S advisory boards. Chris has been named a Top 40 Under 40 by Style Magazine and featured on outlets such as Forbes, Fox News, Virginia Business, and NBC most recently for his work surrounding indoor air quality, air purification, and the battle against the spread of COVID-19.

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Shannon Razsadin^ Serving Military-Connected Communities, Pandemic Edition Shannon Razsadin is the president and executive director of the Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN), an active duty Navy spouse, and mom of two toddlers. MFAN was founded in 2013 to fill a persisting gap in the military community: the inability to quickly and effectively understand the needs of modern military families and connect military families to the resources they

need to thrive. Under Shannon’s leadership, MFAN has become a premier, respected nonprofit leader in a crowded and sometimes confusing network of military and veteran service organizations. Shannon was selected through a competitive process to serve as one of three civilian advisors to the Secretary of Defense on the Military Family Readiness Council, and is regularly called on by national and local media to weigh in on military-related topics, including CBS, NBC, CNN, and FOX. Shannon serves on multiple advisory boards and councils, and in 2020 she was recognized by We Are The Mighty as a “Mighty 25,” for the impact she has made on the lives of military and veteran families. Shannon’s leadership, authenticity, fresh approach, and focus on collaboration have enabled her to earn the trust of military families and leaders within the public and private sector who seek advisement on the evolving needs of the modern military family. Shannon, her husband, and their children live in Newport, Rhode Island.

Kathryn Remsing^ Military Spouse Employment and Wellbeing: Implications for Apprenticeship and Workplace Wellbeing Initiatives from the Research Kathryn “Katie” Remsing, is a Senior Consultant, Deloitte Digital. She is also a spouse of an active-duty service member. Katie is an experienced Salesforce Consultant and a member of Salesforce Military (formerly “Vetforce”) which focuses on upskilling Veterans, Military Spouses, and Active-Duty Military with Salesforce expertise and specialized workforce capabilities. Katie holds a

Master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University. In her current role, Katie provides strategy consulting and technology solutions through Salesforce implementations at Deloitte Consulting LLP. Since starting with Deloitte, Katie has been integrated with the Military Spouse Initiative (MSI). Programs like MSI support spouses to not only hold a job during each military assignment but empower them to create careers that move with them. This is accomplished through initiative volunteer opportunities, goal coaching, community support across the firm, and transition plan during military moves. Katie is currently working from Honolulu, Hawaii with her husband who is an Air Force officer currently serving on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

James Rodriguez* Opening Ceremonies Mr. James D. Rodriguez is the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy within the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Services responsible for preparing America's veterans, service members and their spouses, for meaningful careers. Mr. Rodriguez is an Executive Leader and retired Marine with over 30 years as a leader in the U.S. government,

corporate sector, and United States Marine Corps. He possesses a comprehensive background in

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program management, interagency collaboration, and policy development. He also has extensive senior level experience building and managing multi-million-dollar budgets and large diverse teams while meeting the expectations of the President of the United States, the Department of Defense, the Department of Labor and large corporate enterprises. Additionally, he has demonstrated experience with developing and leading large scale international and national programs with a commitment to operational excellence, risk management and quality assurance. Mr. Rodriguez’s recent executive experience includes leadership roles within Deloitte LLP’s Government and Public Sector practice and BAE Systems Inc. Government relations department. He also previously served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Office of Warrior Care Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense from 2014 through 2017. Mr. Rodriguez possesses a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Maryland, University College and a Masters of Arts Degree in International Commerce and Policy from the George Mason University School of Public Policy. He also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the government and political science department within the University of Maryland Global Campus.

Kathy Roth-Douquet^ Serving Military-Connected Communities, Pandemic Edition Kathy Roth-Douquet is a non-profit executive, author, commentator, strategist, and attorney. As Founder and CEO of Blue Star Families (BSF), she is a national spokesperson for military and Veteran families and advocate of the position that military families are a component of national security. Kathy writes social commentary, particularly with regards to issues of military

service and citizenship. She is the co- author of AWOL: The Unexcused Absence of Americas Upper Classes from Military Service and How It Hurts Our Country, (HarperCollins, 2006), and How Free People Move Mountains (HarperCollins, 2008) both with Frank Schaeffer. Kathy is a commentator on patriotism, civil-military affairs, the value of service, and the experience of military families. She is a frequent contributor to USA Today, and has appeared on the Today Show, Fox and Friends, NPR, CNN, and other media outlets. Her work has appeared in magazines and newspapers across the country. She is a frequent speaker at universities, policy forums, military audiences, and civic groups Kathy received her B.A. from Bryn Mawr College, her MPA in International Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University where she held a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, and a JD from the University of San Diego School of Law, Magna Cum Laude and the Order of the Coif. While serving at the Pentagon as Principal Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Acting) she received the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service for her work on defense reform. She is also a recipient of President George H. W. Bush’s Daily Point of Light Award, and received the Chief of Staff of the Army Outstanding Civilian Service Award. She was recently elected to serve on Princeton University’s Board of Trustees. She is a military spouse of 24 years, four deployments, and 9 moves. She lives with her husband and two children in Northern Virginia.

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Jan Rutherford* Identify the Essentials: Bringing Veterans and CEOs Together to Inspire Career Exploration Jan Rutherford entered the US Army at age 17 (weighing 114 pounds), and spent six years in Special Forces as a medic and “A” team executive officer, and three years as a military intelligence officer. He has over 25 years of business and healthcare experience in executive roles in business

development, marketing, sales, training, product management and as a CEO. As the founder of Self-Reliant Leadership®, Jan works with leaders who have heroic aspirations, and believe the best way to grow an organization is by developing the people. Self-Reliant Leadership creates powerful results through executive workshops, custom programs, coaching, and wilderness expeditions. As a professional speaker, Jan presents to leaders at organizations and associations in the U.S. and Europe as well as co-hosts The Leadership Podcast. Jan wrote “The Littlest Green Beret: On Self-Reliant Leadership” where half the proceeds go to the Special Operations Warrior and Green Beret Foundations. He also invests time with select DOD units and veteran organizations.

Scott B. Sanders Mark Sanders Award; View from His Home Office; Closing Ceremonies

Scott B. Sanders is NASWA’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Scott manages the association of state administrators who handle workforce training, unemployment insurance, employment services, employment statistics, labor market information programs and veteran reemployment. The association provides advocacy at the national level for a

more effective workforce system, and engages with the US Department of Labor, employers and the public. Scott is the chair of the Labor Market Information Institute Board of Directors, a board member of the UWC Foundation and was a member of the US Department of Commerce’s 25-member American Workforce Policy Advisory Board. Prior to joining NASWA in October 2014, Scott served as the Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. He was responsible for managing the operations of the agency, its 1,000+ employees, WorkOne offices across the state, and its $2+ billion dollar expenditures. Scott received his Master’s in Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and his Bachelor’s in accounting from Miami University. His son served in the US Navy for eight years after graduating from the US Naval Academy in 2012, and his father and brother are both veterans.

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Colin Schneider* Promising Practices: The Pandemic is the Mother of Invention

Colin Schneider has 17 years’ experience with Veterans programs including

time with the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, and nine years with

the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Jobs for Veterans State

Grant program. Colin is an Honorably Discharged Air Force Veteran with a

Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies Global Economics from the

University of Wisconsin Madison.

Steve Schwab Serving Military-Connected Communities, Pandemic Edition

Steve Schwab is a national leader and voice for the nation’s millions of military and veteran caregivers, and their families. He has closely advised senior leaders in every sector, addressed audiences across the country, and testified before Congress about the challenges faced by America’s military families and advocated for legislative and regulatory solutions to support

them. As CEO of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Steve spearheads the country’s preeminent organization empowering, supporting, and honoring military and veteran caregivers. He has grown the Foundation’s staff, programs, development, and partnerships over the past seven years, managed the launch of the Hidden Heroes campaign, established the Hidden Heroes Cities program, launched a no-cost national respite program for military caregivers, and successfully championed the expansion of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers to caregivers of every war era. Since 2018, Steve has led the Foundation’s successful signature fundraising event, Heroes and History Makers: An Evening with Elizabeth and Bob Dole toward raising tens of millions of dollars for the organization’s mission. Steve is an Executive Producer of Sky Blossom, an Academy Award qualifying film that provides a raw, uplifting window into 24.5 million children and millennials stepping forward as frontline heroes caring for a family member or veteran at home. He also chairs the Board of Directors of PsychArmor, the nation’s premier non-profit for providing free education and support for all Americans to engage effectively with the military community. Previously, Steve was head of external affairs for the National Cathedral, overseeing fundraising, marketing, and communications. Steve came to the Washington, DC area after serving in three senior leadership roles in his hometown of Rochester, NY. He was Vice President for Development at the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra after serving as Deputy Chief of Staff to Rochester, NY Mayor Robert J. Duffy and just prior as head of corporate development and relations for Rochester Institute of Technology. Steve started his career in New York City where he first worked in politics and then served subsequently as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Partner Development for the New York City Partnership and Chamber of Commerce.

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Chris Silvers Promising Practices: NC Works Hire Vets Medallion

Chris Silvers started his state career with the North Carolina Employment Security Commission in 1998 as a part time Intermittent Interviewer. Chris rose through the ranks becoming the Unemployment Claims Specialist/TAA case manager, a local office assistance Manager, and then Office Manager prior to accepting his current position of Regional Analyst in 2012 with the

same organization, which is now known as the NC Dept. of Commerce/Division of Workforce Solutions. In this position his responsibilities include oversight of various state and federal programs including WP, TAA, and Veterans programs. Training, both locally and statewide, is a large part of his job. He is also considered a super user for our state’s Workforce and performance reporting system called NCWorks where they work closely with our vendor to resolve issues and create enhancements to improve the system.

Michael Simpson Identify the Essentials: Bringing Veterans and CEOs Together to Inspire Career Exploration

Michael Simpson is a son of educators, and corporate intrapreneur turned 3x entrepreneur. His passion for helping people reach their potential was fueled by his own rise from poverty to international recognition as a market strategist. He co-founded PAIRIN after a decade as a certified coach and

spending six years in Russia coaching at-risk young adults to successful careers. As the CEO of PAIRIN, he works to bridge the opportunity gap for future generations by enabling educators and employers to predict and develop behavioral performance. Michael’s had the privilege of partnering with organizations like the U.S. Dept. of Labor, the Center for Data Science and Public Policy, post-secondary institutions and workforce readiness programs. He is an ICF certified executive coach, avid cyclist, fly fisherman and award-winning chocolatier.

Dr. Terra Smith^ Sharing the Entrepreneurship Journey

Dr. Terra Stines Smith is a graduate of North Carolina State University where she earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in May of 2015. She grew up on a small horse farm in Lincoln County, NC. She was home-schooled and began working in a mixed animal veterinary hospital as a junior in high school. Upon graduation from high school Dr. Terra attended Gaston College where she received her veterinary technician degree. After working as a vet tech for

several years, she returned to school to fulfill her dream of becoming a veterinarian. In the summer of 2017 she began the process of starting her own mobile veterinary practice, DocTerra Mobile Veterinary Services. With the help of her family and friends, she opened the practice in April 2018. Dr. Terra enjoys all areas of veterinary medicine, but especially enjoys working with small ruminants and horses. She lives on her family’s farm with her husband, Brad, 5 year-old sons, Harrison and Hudson, and 7 month old daughter, Heidi, along with their 4 horses, 2 miniature donkeys, 3 dogs, 2 cats, 8 chickens, 2 pot-bellied pigs and 1 goat. She has participated in several short-term mission trips with Christian Veterinary

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Missions and enjoys sharing her love for Christ with others through veterinary medicine. In her free time, Dr. Terra enjoys riding her horses, camping, participating in church activities and spending time with family and friends.

Hisako Sonethavilay^ Military Spouse Employment and Wellbeing: Implications for Apprenticeship and Workplace Wellbeing Initiatives from the Research Hisako Sonethavilay is the Senior Advisor of Research & Innovation at Hiring Our Heroes where she manages the strategic execution of research and initiatives that support military spouses and veterans ability to thrive in the workplace. Hisako's interests stem from her own journey as a spouse of a Marine and her desire to finds ways to use data to improve military family

employment experiences. She has a decade of experience in mixed methods research, practicing family-focused community social work, and advocating on behalf of military families. Hisako holds a Masters of Social Work (MSW) from George Mason University and holds a Certificate in Community Research and Program Evaluation from UC San Diego extension.

Joseph Swyrtek* Promising Practices: Incarcerated Veterans Workshop

Joseph Swyrtek has nearly 20 years with the Job’s for Veterans State Grant (JVSG) and is a program manager within the State of Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Prior to joining Michigan’s JVSG Program, he served as an Assistant Director for the US Department of Labor, Veterans’ Employment Services, within the Chicago Region, from 2010 until 2012. During his time there he was awarded the USDOL Secretary's Exceptional

Achievement Award for his efforts with competitive grants. Mr. Swyrtek has also served as a federal competitive grant reviewer, Yellow Ribbon program coordinator and Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and Veterans Preference (VP) investigator. Before joining Veterans’ Employment Services, Mr. Swyrtek served as a Disabled Veterans Outreach Specialist, from 2001 until 2010, where he was awarded the Annual National Employment Service Award by the American Legion. Most recently Mr. Swyrtek has implemented an initiative in Michigan in which JVSG funded staff deliver individualized career services to inmates prior to their release from incarceration. Joseph has helped lead Michigan to being one of the top JVSG programs nationally and was presented the State of Michigan’s Good Government Symbol of Leadership in 2017. Joseph served nearly 9 years on active duty in the US Army and is a service-connected disabled veteran. After leaving the service, Mr. Swyrtek went on to graduate from Mott Community College and Ferris State University with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. In 2020 he and his wife Sheila celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary. Joseph’s hobbies include board and computer gaming, as well as an exercise program which involves walking a very spoiled miniature schnauzer.

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Maria Temiquel What’s New at the National Veterans Training Institute; Listening Session with

USDOL Vets Leadership

Maria E. Temiquel has been serving, protecting, and advancing specialized populations for over 20 years at the U.S. Department of Labor. In 2011, she was asked to serve as the Director for Agency Management and Budget at the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS). Currently, she is the Director of Grants and Training in VETS. She is responsible for the

management and administration of over $241M in grants and training. She leads a team that develops national policy and processes, establishes program goals and expected outcomes, and formulates and executes the program budgets. Prior to her appointment to VETS, Ms. Temiquel worked in the Office Job Corps at DOL. In her eleven years with Job Corps, she held several positions, ultimately serving as the Deputy National Director. Before coming to DOL, she was the Coordinator of Multicultural Educational Services for Sauk Valley and Rock Valley Community Colleges through Western Illinois University.

Hannah Toney, Ed.D. What’s New at the National Veterans Training Institute

Hannah R. Toney is a Director in Learning and Technology Services at Management Concepts and serves as the program manager and learning solutions lead for NVTI. She has a background in instructional systems design and consulting services. Prior to her current career, Hannah spent eight years working in the theatrical arts and education, writing state-wide standards and presenting research nationally. She also taught asynchronous and traditional

college courses focused on curriculum design, educational philosophy, and theatre. Hannah holds a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction, a Masters of the Art of Teaching, and a BFA in design and technical theatre.

Jonathan Vespa The Employment, Earnings and Occupations of Post 9/11 Veterans Jonathan Vespa is a demographer in the Census Bureau's Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division. His work covers the economic well-being of veterans and service members.

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Laura Wages* Entrepreneurship Resources

Programs Director Office of Veterans Business Development Ms. Laura Wages

is the Programs Director for the Office of Veterans Business Development

(OVBD) at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). In this role, Ms.

Wages oversees OVBD Entrepreneurship Training Programs (ETPs) in

formulating, implementing, administering, and promoting policies and

programs which provide training to veterans, service members (active duty, National Guard, Reserve),

and military spouse-owned small businesses provided through grants. These programs include Boots to

Business (B2B), Revenue Readiness, Women Veteran ETPs, Service Disabled ETPs and Veterans in

Procurement programs. Ms. Wages joined the SBA in 2016, serving in a number of positions, most

recently as the Programs Director for OVBD. Prior to the SBA, she held numerous leadership positions

with the US Army, including Deputy Assistant for Awards and Promotions for the Assistant Secretary of

the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs and the Deputy G1, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Ms.

Wages has first-hand military experience, having served 28 years as an enlisted soldier and active duty

officer in the US Army. In 2012, she retired from the military and purchased a franchise in the senior

home health care industry. She holds an BA in Literature from the University of Texas at El Paso and an

MA from Air University.

Rose Warner Linking Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities to Registered Apprenticeship Rose Warner is a Senior Policy Advisor for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy. In this role, she serves as contracting officer representative (COR) for the LEAD Center, a Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Policy Development Center. Rose serves as ODEP’s point of

contact for several projects aiming to increase competitive integrated employment for veterans with disabilities. Prior to joining ODEP, Rose was a Government Affairs Specialist for the National Federation of the Blind where she focused on labor policy. Rose has a B.S. in Social Policy from Northwestern University.

Ann Weeby* Military Spouse Employment and Wellbeing: Implications for Apprenticeship and Workplace Wellbeing Initiatives from the Research

Ann Weeby leads the company’s commitment to the military community focused on job training for veterans, reservists, and military spouses. In six years at Salesforce, she has helped 35,000+ members of the military community access free training and directly supported 1,200 people land jobs within the Salesforce ecosystem. Ann knew she wanted to serve in the

military from an early age and joined the Michigan Army National Guard Army while stillin high school. After eight years of service, including one tour in Iraq, she dedicated her career to helping veterans find rewarding civilian careers. By working with nonprofits and the government she has also advocated for policies and practices that support post 9/11 military veterans and their families across the country.

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Ann is the Board Chair for Technovation a global nonprofit that that inspires girls and families to be leaders and problem-solvers in their lives and their community and serves on the Workforce Investment Board for the City of San Francisco. Ann lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two kids.

Mark Williams* Entrepreneurship Resources

Mark Williams joined the Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD) in March 2016, and serves as program manager of the Boots to Business program, an entrepreneurial development program for transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses. To date, more than 140,000 people have completed Boots to Business training. Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Williams served as a Lender Relations Specialist at the SBA’s

Baltimore District Office, marketing the agency’s lending programs and services to banks and credit unions, as well as recruiting new lenders to participate in SBA loan programs. During his time at the Baltimore District Office, Mr. Williams also was a Veterans Business Development Officer, providing counseling, mentoring and referrals to current and future veteran small business owners. In 2017 he participated in SBA disaster assistance efforts following Hurricanes Irma and Maria, deploying to Georgia, Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands as a public affairs specialist. Prior to entering government civilian service, Mr. Williams was the Vice President of Marketing at Integrated Systems Research (ISR) Corporation, a manufacturer of GPS tracking hardware and software systems. Mr. Williams is a retired U.S. Marine. His diverse career included assignments as an aviation maintenance technician, combat correspondent, recruiter and military broadcaster. His last assignment was as a broadcast skills instructor at Fort Meade, MD, where he was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service medal for outstanding meritorious service. He has five children, and lives in Bowie, MD.

Dennis Wimer* The National Anthem Dennis Wimer started his military career at Undergraduate Navigator Training at Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento, California where he received the Paul F. Lorence Award as the top navigator student. Upon graduation, he served in the 16 Airlift Squadron at Charleston Air Force Base as a C-141B Starlifter Navigator. His last duty assignment was at McGuire Air Force Base in

Wrightstown, New Jersey. At McGuire, Dennis became the first operations officer for McGuire AFB’s C-141B Special Operations Low Level II squadron. At the same time, he completed his MBA at the University of Pennsylvania. After leaving the Air Force, Dennis has worked in multiple sectors of the economy; small private businesses, large public enterprise, non-profit, government and higher education. He has worked at companies like McKinsey & Company, Eli Lilly & Company, ExaroMed LLC, Lutheran Child and Family Services of Indiana and Kentucky, Butler University and most recently his family business LADS Consulting, LLC. Dennis was appointed Deputy Commissioner, field operations in the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. In this capacity, he led multiple state and federal programs including the Jobs for Veterans State Grants, ReEmployment Services Program, Trade Adjustment Assistance. Dennis started the Hoosier Initiative to Re-employ Ex-offenders (HIRE) and the Indiana Robotics Initiative. Dennis served on the National Association of State Workforce Agencies

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(NASWA) board and was the chair of the NASWA Veteran Affairs Committee. Dennis is honored to be selected by Governor Eric Holcomb to serve as the Executive Director of the Indiana Department of Veterans’ Services. He brings a servant’s mindset to the department and is excited to lead the department to serve Indiana’s Veterans and their families. Dennis has been married for 30 years and has two children, 20 and 17. He is passionate about coaching youth soccer and enjoys the time it gives him with his children and their friends.

Tim Winter* Transition Assistance – Improving the Experience

Tim Winter is the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) Director for the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). In this capacity, Tim manages DOL’s contribution as part of the TAP Interagency Partnership. Each year VETS delivers over 6,500 employment workshops to approximately 200,000 transitioning service members worldwide. Tim works closely with OSD and the military service branches to

coordinate DOL’s portion of TAP. He represents DOL on several of the interagency working groups associated with transition assistance, and has been an integral member in major government wide initiatives to redesign and improve the program. Tim has been with DOL VETS since 2006. Prior to coming to the Department of Labor, Tim worked in the Army’s Wounded Warrior Program. Tim has also held a variety of leadership and management positions within the corporate world and non-profit organizations, to include contract work with SAIC in Baghdad, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Tim served as a Marine Corps tank officer from 1985 to 1993, and is a 1985 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.

Please note:

• The information in italics under each individual’s name indicates the conference session(s) they are participating in.

• An * denotes an individual is currently serving or is a Veteran of the United States military.

• An ^ denotes the individual is or has been a military spouse.